OFFICIALS were called in to investigate an alleged sabotage attempt against a new radio station in the region, it has been revealed.

Transmissions at Radio Hartlepool, which went on air for the first time at midnight on Monday, were disturbed by interference, but radio chiefs were at odds to discover a cause.

More than 200 listeners flooded the radio station with calls to report that their service had been affected and the signal was breaking up.

Jason Anderson, managing director of the station, which is based at the town's Grand Hotel, swung into action after his team said that they could find no reason for the interference.

He contacted the Department of Trade and Industry to report the problem and said an official travelled to Hartlepool to investigate.

Mr Anderson said: "As soon as he was in the town, he rang from the Marina and said that the signal was rubbish.

"By the time he got up to the hotel it was working - and we have had no trouble since," he said.

"I did ring around everyone and said I thought it might have been sabotage, so that might have had an effect.

"It was ridiculous."

The station is running for 28 days on 107.5FM and will return for same length of time next year.

Mr Anderson said the station had been backed by the people of Hartlepool and it had been well received.

"We have had great feedback and we have had a record number of hits on our website.

"The station is run by people from Hartlepool for the people of Hartlepool."

Mr Anderson added: "In the first two days, there was 5,000 hits.

"No other radio station in the UK has achieved that, to my knowledge."

For more information about the station visit www.radiohartlepool,co.uk